بدرa full moon حكىmirrored سطرهhis written line فيon الطرسthe parchment اذwhen نمقاhe wrote elegantly
بدر حكى سطره في الطرس اذ نمقا
دجىdarkness عذارhair along the cheek علىupon خدّa cheek حكىmirrored شفقاsunset’s glow
دجى عذار على خدّ حكى شفقا
A full moon—his line on the parchment, when he wrote it finely, mirrored
The full moon traced its verse on the foliage as it set
the darkness of cheek-down upon a cheek that mirrored sunset’s glow.
The darkness of a coy beloved spread on the cheek of the horizon like a blush
وافىmet اليراعthe reed pen عقيقاًcarnelian منfrom مراشفهhis lips
وافى اليراع عقيقاً من مراشفه
ثمthen اعتلىmounted أنملاfingers منof جوهرjewels ورقىand rose
ثم اعتلى أنملا من جوهر ورقى
The reed pen met carnelian from his lips,
The meadow offered from its pillows green chrysolite
then mounted fingers of jewels and rose.
Then climbed on nimble toes made of essence and paper
فاهتزso it quivered يبديemitting صريراًa creak كنتI was أحسبهsupposing it
فاهتز يبدي صريراً كنت أحسبه
داويhealed بهwith it عقلthe mind of مجنونone maddened by الهوىlove ورقىand recited a healing charm
داوي به عقل مجنون الهوى ورقى
Then it quivered, emitting a creak; I thought it
It swayed revealing a trill I thought
had thereby healed and charmed the mind of one mad with love.
A cure for the madness of passionate love and paper
كأنهas though it حينwhen راحthe wine of الثغرthe mouth أسكرهmade it drunk
كأنه حين راح الثغر أسكره
غنىit sang فكادso it almost غناهits singing يطربenraptured الورقاthe grey doves
غنى فكاد غناه يطرب الورقا
As though, when the wine of his mouth had made it drunk,
As if when the lips departed intoxicated
it sang, and its singing almost enraptured the grey doves.
It sang, and its song nearly made the paper dance
Sol 6.1